I can't stand Injustice
by Tess 4 5
Summary: ANOTHER UPDATE ;-) Being a waitress has its pitfalls and there are a lot of rude customers to deal with but sometimes nicer things happen. How do Lynley and Havers fit in?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's usual notes and disclaimer:** I don't own any of the original characters nor the original Inspector Lynley Mysteries – they belong to Elizabeth George and the BBC. I have borrowed the characters from the TV-Show and solely own the ideas of _my_ stories and the developments _I've_ let them go through.

Please write a **P** rivate **M** essage if I did something terribly wrong so I can fix it. Thanks!

Please read and review! More thanks!

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 **Author's note and summary:** Being a waitress has its pitfalls and there are a lot of rude customers to deal with but sometimes nicer things happen. How do Lynley and Havers fit in?

Just a small thing that crossed my mind. Enjoy...

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 **I Can't Stand Injustice**

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Her parents were not exacvtly pleased with her post-school plans but they had given their parental consent and so she already had signed the papers. The only thing they would not be able to do was supporting her with money but that in fact was not her major concern. She had had small jobs since she was twelve. She was used to work. Her jobs only had to be slightly bigger jobs now.

Bigger jobs like at this party today. This evening would turn into a long night but tomorrow she would have a lot more money in her pocket. She was serving drinks and nibbles for the rich. All she had to do was dress in the uniform they had given her, smile, be polite and carry around trays laden with expensive stuff. It was a fundraising event for something she already had forgotten after two hours.

After four hours she had forgotten the pain in her feet and after six hours she almost only functioned like a robot.

The inevitable happened.

She was just carrying a tray with a bottle of champagne to a table where Lord and Lady Whatwastheirnameagain sat and enjoyed the party from the distance. They were old and not walking and talking like most of the other people, not to mention hopping around on the dance floor. She was almost there, swinging and swaying herself through all the people and the leisurely placed tables towards the wall, when suddenly a chair was pushed into her way. She had to stop abruptly. A skilfull evasive movement let the tray fly into the other direction and so the bottle crashed onto the floor instead of on that young man who just glared at her grimly but walked away without caring about the puddle of champagne and the splinters of glass on the floor.

"I'm sorry, Sir." she murmured her apology.

In an instant her boss was at her side, two boys with cleaning utensils at her heels who immediately started mopping up the mess she had dragged only half into piles with her feet.

"You stupid little thing!" she was called. Her boss completely ignored that they were not alone. Like nobody ever before had done she was dressed down in public. Inwardly she was furious but of course she did not let on anything. The only answers she gave were "Yes, Ma'am." or "I'm sorry, Ma'am." and "Of course, Ma'am." when she was told to pay for the expensive champagne. It was almost half of what she would have earned for this night's work.

It probably would have gone on for a lot longer if not another young man would have stepped in.

"Sorry, Ma'am..." he said. "But it wasn't _her_ fault."

The waitress looked up and smiled thankfully. Unfortunately she was not in the position to defend herself if she would want at least get paid for tonight.

"Still she has to pay for the champagne." her boss grumbled, knowing full well that she should not contradict a guest. "I can't let this pass just like that but I'll go and see what I can do for her."

She walked away not without shooting a dark look at her employee which clearly told her that the last word was not spoken yet.

The waitress smiled and thanked the young man. "I guess, I'll still have to pay at least half of the bottle. Thank you anyway, Sir."

The man's brows furrowed. "You know, it's highly unfair to let a waitress pay for the spilled champagne, even if it'd be just half of the costs. All the more because I've already told your boss that Lord O'Clanis had carelessly pushed his chair in your way."

The waitress roughly laughed. "Well, I hardly could ask Lord O'Clanis to pay for something he hadn't drunk, could I?"

"Actually yes, I think you could do." the young man said and whipped out his wallet. "You know what, Miss? Here's 100 quid. I'm going to pay-"

"No, Sir, I can't accept that!"

"Of course, you can." The man smiled and pushed the note into the waitress' hand. "And I'm going to ask Lord O'Clanis to give it back to me. I've seen him pushing back his chair and I've seen his face. He knew exactly what had happened but he chose to ignore it. I don't like that."

The waitress almost curtsied. Hiding the note in her pockets she shily smiled. "Thank you, Sir."

"It's a pleasure, Miss. You know, I don't like such ignorance. And I can't stand injustice."

"Neither can I, Sir."

After they had exchanged another smile she got back to work.

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	2. Chapter 2

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The sun was shining brightly and the tables on the terrace were packed with club members having a late lunch or just a cocktail in the early afternoon enjoying a pleasantly warm day in autumn. She visibly got an entire morning of work done already, serving the guests, cleaning up tables, being polite whatever happened. She looked tired and thought that she should better go home soon or something stupid would happen.

And of course it happened.

At the balustrade with the wonderful view across the small green of the club's back garden, saved from the hot sun by the shade of the huge chestnut trees, there was an elderly couply sitting alone and enjoying the perfect weather. Their table was a bit away from the others who were all sitting in the sun. They still enjoyed themselves and apparently were deep in love. They huddled together, exchanged small kisses and chuckled a lot.

She was just bringing them a tray with two glasses of champagne when suddenly a chair was pushed into her way. Although she had become slower during the day she still was skilfull after years of working as a waitress and this was not the first chair that had crossed her way all of a sudden. So she turned her hip just an inch, made a step to the side and moved her hand with the tray in the opposite direction. Unfortunately today she was not able to keep it from flying through the air. The chair had come into her way too abrupt and it was too close to her legs to keep the tray in balance. At least the champagne did not hit the elegant and presumably very expensive clothes of that careless man but just dropped to the ground, the breaking glass making an enormous noise. Everybody seemed to look at her.

"Sorry, Sir." she murmured to the man.

He gave her a grim glare and hissed something like "Clumsy cow!" or exactly this but then he went past her unfazed by the little accident he had caused. His chair still stood in the middle between two tables when the waitress' boss appeared moments later to dress her down as if she had set the table cloth on fire. She only murmured tired excuses like "Sorry, Sir." and sadly nodded her defeated "Yes, Sir.". After years of working here she knew by now where her place was. And if her boss was angry she was the last person to talk back to him. She needed the job.

"I'll put it on your bill." the master waiter grumbled. Instead of helping her clean up the mess he just stood there with hands akimbo and looking down with an angry face observing how accurate her work was.

"Of course, Sir." the waitress sighed.

"Now you better should clean-"

"Excuse me, Sir." another female voice chimed in.

"What?" he spat and turned around but his features took on a syrupy expression immediately. He added a much politer "Ma'am." Actually it was a guest addressing him, although she was not a club member as far as he could recall but he would not want to disgruntle the Mistresses of the Lords.

"Sir, it wasn't _her_ fault." the woman told him. "I've seen the... sorry to say it like that, _bloke_ , who now sits at your bar over there. He had carelessly pushed his chair in the way of your waitress. He had not looked at all but your waitress couldn't have reacted better."

"I'm sorry I have to say this, Ma'am, but I hope you do understand, that this is an internal affair." Another greasy smile hit her like a slap.

"Are you saying it's none of my business?" the woman's voice turned sharper. Her eyes had narrowed.

"If you put it that way, Ma'am, then yes."

She clearly looked as if she was about to punch his nose. "In fact it is very much my business. Because it's more than unfair to let your waitress pay those two glasses. I really can't say I appreciate this."

"Well, I can't ask my guests to pay for something they hadn't consumed, could I?"

"You very well could in cases like this."

"Ma'am, we have a high standard and a certain reput-"

"How much?" The woman cut him short. If she had to talk to him for longer she really would forget her good manners. Hearing the price she swallowed but whipped out her purse anyway and silently paid two glasses of champagne.

The poor waitress still knelt on the floor tidying up the mess when she gave a thankful smile answering the nice woman's encouraging nod.

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	3. Chapter 3

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DI Lynley and DS Havers had been sitting on the veranda of his classy club's restaurant. Barbara thought she never would be able to afford a simple glass of water at this location. But since her boss had said it was his treat and she had been too tired to object today, and in fact had come to like their shared lunchbreaks even here at this posh location, she had followed him inside, through the main room and onto this lovely veranda in the back of the old house. Prolonging their break they had enjoyed the sun and a cool drink after they had had a late lunch over which they had discussed the slow progress of their latest case.

Eventually a loud clank had been heard and shortly after it one of the guests had stormed past them and inside.

Barbara had shaken her head as if she could get rid of the disturbance that way. The moment before had been silent but pleasurable with Tommy sitting on the bench next to her, closer than approproiate in fact, his arm on the backrest behind her and the wall in their back reflecting the autumn sun's warmth.

When the boss of the poor waitress had dressed the woman down unrepeatably nasty and in public Barbara had started to clench her teeth. Tommy had seen her jaw's muscles working hard until she had not been able to stand it any longer, had gotten up from the bench and had come to stand by the side of the waitress. She even had paid the champagne.

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Now she returned to their table with a still angry expression.

Her boss smiled lovingly at her. He had watched the entire scene and the furious calmness with which Barbara had talked with the master waiter. With a deep sigh she now heavily sat down on the bench next to him.

"I'll have pasta with butter for the rest of the month." she groaned. "This bubbly costs more than I had thought."

Tommy laughed. "You don't have to pay. It was his fault and I know that man. Even if I have to beat it out of him I'm going to get the money back for you from Lord O'Clanis."

"Oh." Visibly thinking Barbara looked at him. She remembered that name from something that happened a long time ago. The complete scene actually felt somehow familiar.

"I'm going to ask him later, tonight at the Club meeting. He will pay it, I'm sure of that." Something crossed his mind. Had he not fought with someone in his youth for something similar? He vaguely remembered crashing someone's nose and receiving a small crack in the jaw in return.

"Thank you, Sir."

Being hit by the complete memory Tommy seriously looked into her eyes. "It's a pleasure for me, Barbara. You know, I don't like such ignorance. And I can't stand injustice." His voice had turned hoarse. He wondered if Barbara also remembered the beneficial party from years ago. At first it did not look that way.

"Oh, yes. Neither can..." she began. Then her words slowed down and she looked at him with irritation. It finally dawned on her. "...I, ... Sir... Sir?!"

He nodded. "You've been blonde." Tommy was niot asking. He was giving a confirmation of the unspoken question in her eyes if something like this could have happened in reality.

"In my youth I've had every colour you could think of." Barbara nervously laughed. What a ridiculous coincidence.

"I prefer your red hair." Tommy admitted. "And I like that it's not as short as it had been back then. They've even become curlier lately. That's... beautiful." He broadly smiled.

"Bollocks." Barbara slightly blushed. "I remember your dark hair, Sir. But your shoulders were a bit... broader, weren't they?"

"I was an active member of our college's rowing team. I haven't done that for years."

"How long ago is it?"

Tommy briefly thought about it. "More than 20 years? 22 I think."

It was commented with a disbelieving laugh. "I was 16!"

"And sweet." Tommy smiled. Barbara only gave a disapproving noise. "I could never forget that night. It had created the strong wish to become a policeman."

"Guess what? I've already signed in at the Police school. So I've needed every penny and have done every job I could grab. Even as a waitress for that snobbish lot of yours."

Tommy grinned about her remark. He knew she only teased him. For a couple of moments they stayed silent. "Barbara?"

"Hm?" Eventually Barbara realised he had come closer to her. Now he even put his arm around her shoulders and his voice sounded thrillingly dark.

"I'm glad we've met again."

Her voice was equally low when she answered. "Well, Sir, so am I."

The expression he saw in her face was so open and without any of her usual defensiveness, he could not withstand the wish he had had for quite some time now. So he slowly bent down to her. With pleasure Tommy recognised that she did not back away. Keeping expectantly still Barbara gave him the chance to give her a soft but brief kiss.

Although it had happened slow and almost hesitant, it had come rather surprising for both. They shared a disbelieving look with wide open eyes but did not retreated from their closeness. Neither of them said a word but the look they gave each other made it unnecessary anyway. Tommy squeezed her shoulders before he bent down again to press another slightly longer kiss onto her half open mouth. Relishing every second Barbara answered his kiss with a soft nudge of her lips. For a short moment she even placed her hand onto his belly.

Involuntarily she sighed when their lips finally parted.

Grinning Tommy murmured "Well, then..." and turned his face forward, the corners of his eyes wrinkling with happiness, looking in the direction of the elderly couple. His arm around her shoulders tightened its grip and pulled her into his side.

"What was that for?" Barbara breathed confused and pleased at the same time. Anyway she snuggled closer into his chest, looking in the same direction he looked.

"Thank you for your inspiration."

"My pleasure... Tommy."

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	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Well, something had popped into my mind and I had to add another bit of fluff... :-D

Enjoy...

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The surface of the green was soft and slightly uneven. On one end of the area there even were a few molehills. One could think that a noble garden like this would be neater and the grass perfectly trimmed but obviously the inhabitants of this manor did not care much about having a proper English Garden.

The waitress sighed. For a long afternoon she had carried around trays on this surface and on the veranda, had brought coffee, tea and scones and sandwiches to the guests standing at some tables casually placed on the green, sitting on small stone walls that were reminders for the garden concept that once had ruled here, and lounging on blankets near the huge tree. Later little nibbles were offered and of course champagne. Although she knew there was bubbly which was more precious it was the most expensive champagne she ever had served. The woman still was very young and not new in this business but she knew that if her career would continue like this she probably will be serving champagne at the palace in less than ten years.

She chuckled and adumbrated a bow to a black man in highly decorated uniform who was taking a glass from her tray. Or maybe she would at least have her own catering service in some years. It had been her dream since she was a teenage girl.

That would also save her from her slave driver boss who did not bother to let them have a real break during events like this. She had been up early and it already was a long day for her with just some ten minute breaks. They had prepared everything and of course then served the guests. Now she was tired but she hid her yawn perfectly and carried on. Tomorrow, after they had tidied up here, she would start into three days of vacation. She had planned to just sleep, eat and read. But tomorrow afternoon still was far away.

At the moment one of her colleagues waved a hand and signalled for her to come over to the bar table where obviously several glasses of champagne were needed. The colleague's tray was empty and her own still full. Skilled as she was she turned and snaked her way through the crowd of guests. With polite smiles she avoided that other people than the ones at the table would call her over. She tilted her head in silent apologies to the left and was almost there.

She should have watched her load though.

From the right side two hands took four glasses from the tray all at once thus disbalancing the weight. The ignorant man already had turned when the tray tipped over to the other side. The poor waitress tried her best but she had no chance. It all had come too quick and out of the blue and so in less than a second all other glasses landed on the grass.

Miraculously all except one stayed intact but the precious liquid now slowly soaked the ground.

"Bloody hell!" she cursed and immediately blushed when she knelt down to tidy up the mess. She should not swear while she worked.

The man who had taken the glasses did not even turn to look what had happened in his back. He kept on talking with three blonde women. On the ground the waitress carefully picked up the shards of the broken glass. Of course the inevitable happened but ignoring the pain and the blood dripping from her finger she went on until all fragments and intact glasses were collected.

In the meantime an older man in the usual waiter's uniform had arrived. He started to dress her down as if she was responsible for every little thing that had gone wrong today and that had been a lot. The tray still stood on the floor. A napkin was wrapped around her finger. Ignoring that it hurt like hell the waitress just nodded and swallowed down what she really wanted to reply.

He could at least have waited with his lecture until they were back in the kitchen, she thought, but it obviously was not his way of leading his employees. Every guest was able to hear what he was thinking of his stupid waitress. Tiredly trying to not let him raise his voice more she only said "Yes, Sir." and No, Sir." and "Of course, Sir." until a young man with black hair stood behind to her boss.

"Excuse me, Sir." Green eyes gave her the most wonderful apology she had ever received.

"What?!" Her boss turned around and added a much politer "Sir."

"It wasn't her fault."

"Umm... well, she had dropped the tray, hasn't she? So she will have to pay for it."

"As far as I know those glasses are our own property and the champagne is paid already. So what should she pay for?"

"That's right. But this one glass should be replaced and-"

"I think that _if_ someone could request it should be replaced it wouldn't be you, Sir. And it wouldn't be your lovely waitress but that man in her back who still pretends he had not recognised anything. Yes, O'Clanis, I'm talking about _you_. Move your useless figure over here and apologise."

Seeing that the two young men were about to resolve it among themselves the waitress' boss quickly exited. The waitress of course still had to carry away the empty glasses but she was held back by a soft grip at her elbow. "Please stay, miss."

"I rather wouldn't." she hissed embarrassed.

O'Clanis, one of the young lords, had turned and after a hefty but quietly hissed argument, the poor waitress still standing next to them, he finally apologised and even carried the tray into the house.

Other guests who had watched them had started to go on chatting before the argument was over. Most of them would not have heard it anyway.

"Thank you, Sir." the waitress shyly smiled up at the handsome young lord.

"You're welcome, miss..." he replied with a quizzically raised eyebrow. He had slightly tilted his head and had made her a bit nervous.

"Jenny." she mumbled.

"It was the least I could do, Miss Jenny. You know, your boss had overreacted a tad too harsh for my liking and that minted offspring of a lazy lord could have acted cautiously and not just grab what he had wanted so dearly."

"Not that I would object, Sir." Jenny laughed. "But you shouldn't have sent him inside with my tray."

"Well, the stupid bloke may have learned his lesson. And to be honest, I couldn't stand your boss' injustice. Not to mention O'Clanis' ignorance."

"Again, thank you, Sir." The waitress was about to turn but the noble young lad took her injured hand in his and had a closer look.

"Let's go inside, Miss Jenny. This needs some proper treatment."

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A few yards away two people stopped staring.

The couple sitting in the middle of the long end of the big table in the centre of the garden turned to look at each other with a soft smile. They had watched the scene with surprise and growing pride. Now his eyes were soft and her expression had turned dreamy.

"Have you told him?" she whispered taking his hand in hers.

"No, I thought you..." With a broad smile covering his face he squeezed her hand.

"Your genes." she chuckled and leaned closer. The strap of the new long dress that had annoyed her all evening slid from her shoulder once again but before she could adjust it he was caressing her skin and helped her.

"And yours." Seductively raising his eyebrows he looked down to her. "He's going to become a great police officer."

"Oh, heaven forbid."

"Why not?"

"Because two in the family is enough. Crown prosecutor will be suiting him more."

With a toneless laugh Tommy closed the distance between them and kissed her. Shared memories soon turned it into a languidly long exchange. His arm slid around her waist and her hand vanished in a still quite thick mop of grey hair in the back of his head. They displayed a deep manifestation of their love until Barbara heard the silence that had risen around them and so she broke the contact to his lips. They were slightly out of breath.

She seldomly, if ever, had shown in public how deeply she was in love with him. Apologising and shyly coughing away her nervousness she looked into approvingly grinning faces. As usual, Tommy did not bother to reveal his affection.

Someone in the garden distinctively whistled.

"Nkata!" Barbara exclaimed and gave the uniformed ex-colleague one of her death glares.

A bright laughter was heard. Tommy's sister at the other end of the table hid her face behind a napkin.

"Let's hear it for the bride and groom!" In the couple's back Peter jumped onto the small stone wall next to the table and raised his glass like all other guests. "Hip hip-"

"Hooray!"

"Hip hip-"

"Hooray!"

"Hip hip-"

"Hooray!"

Barbara was blushing even deeper but Tommy did not mind. He pulled her closer to him again and boyishly grinned.

"Hip hip hooray, Barbs." he whispered. "To our silver wedding anniversary!"

Then Tommy gave her a kiss that was most inappropriate for an Earl and his Countess, even on a reception like this. Only this time Barbara openly gave in to her feelings and answered his endearments in the same way.

Not very much later, the summer sun had not completely set, nobody at the party wondered why the hosts already were absent.

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	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** More fluff, inspired by two of your reviews ;-) Enjoy...

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She stood on the veranda overlooking the garden and the party that was going on there. She had been here once before. Two years have gone by after the 25th wedding anniversary of Lord and Lady Asherton and a lot had happened during this time. Her old boss had had some problems with paying taxes, or rather because of not paying taxes, and like her colleagues she suddenly had stood there and was out of her job. But she had taken it all as a chance and for one year now she was the one who was called boss by three regular and numerous temporary employees. The people in and around Nanrunnel seemed to party a lot and gladly drew on professional help when it came to food. One or the other bigger event like this birthday party here had pushed the companies luck and awareness.

For today it had been a lot of work but they all had done a very good job. They had built up a tent and decorated the tables and the bar and now her employees were serving drinks and nibbles. It almost was like every other afternoon garden party. Only this time there will be dinner afterwards and she even had had to arrange some fireworks in the night. The handsome young Lord had ordered the full monty. She had not even needed to persuade him.

When this event would be over they all would be exhausted like hell although until now no major catastrophe had occured and Jenny quickly knocked on the wooden pergola next to her. Knowing a well-trained staff behind her she was rather sure that the party was going to be a success for all of them.

As if on cue her eyes fell on the sixteen year old daughter of a friend who was doing her second or third job as a waitress for Jenny. She was good but not yet perfect but Jenny was sure she would learn it all in time. At the moment the girl carried a tray with champagne flutes and visibly needed a break. Jenny knew she had worked non stop for four hours so she decided to talk to the girl before an incident occured.

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What happened then appeared to happen in slow motion.

The poor tired girl had walked between the guests standing around when suddenly a male voice growled "Oh, shut up, father!" and a wheelchair was pushed backwards, right into her way. She bumped into the old Lord's vehicle, stumbled turning and fell to the ground, thus letting her tray fly through the air as if it was a frisbee. Champagne was splashed over the suits and the dresses of the guests nearby and the empty flutes went into billions of pieces on the ground.

"Oh, for heaven's sake, woman!" the same male voice grunted.

Jenny narrowed her eyes and set her feet in motion.

"Not this time." she hissed unhearable for others. Storming down the stairs of the veranda she called for Michael, her longest employee. "Michael, bring us the dustbuster. There's a glass accident on the grass."

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The poor waitress still sat on the floor and tried to avoid crying. The old and the young Lord were insulting her loudly so that some guests already had turned their heads. When she finally got up and apologised it even got worse. "Sorry, Sir.", "Yes, Sir." and "No, Sir!" or "Of course, Sir!" was all she could stammer. It seemed very familiar to Jenny. Approaching her employee and the two male guests she even recognised who one of them was. He obviously had not learned anything.

"Lord O'Clanis! It's so nice to see you." Jenny said with a sharply ironic voice. "I see you still don't know how to avoid these accidents, do you."

"And who are you?" Young O'Clanis quickly turned to where the voice had come from. "Oh, brilliant. The other clumsy waitress."

"Well, thank you, Sir." Jenny gave him a syrupy smile that was cut at its edges. "But as far as I have observed this incident Miss Lizzy here was not clumsy at all."

"She's been-"

Jenny's voice was louder than the young Lord's when she cut him short. "...doing her job! when someone thoughtlessly pushed a wheelie into her way. If I may say so, it's not a very nice gesture towards... ah, I see. Your father, I presume." Looking from one Lord to the other Jenny nodded. The resemblance was striking.

"My son's and mine disagreements are none of your business, Miss, and-"

Unimpressed Jenny even cut the old Lord short. "And! I agree. I don't even _care_ what you were arguing about but I can't stand injustice so _my business_ has started exactly where your fight got into the way of my waitress. You will understand that I have to step in when you dress her down like this. You have no bloody right to do that. All the more when it was not her fault. Still she offered you her apologies which you chose to ignore."

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Both men inhaled to give a reply but in that moment the host of the party appeared next to Jenny. "Can I help you, Miss Jenny?" Thomas Lynley junior asked and placed a soothing hand onto her shoulder for a brief moment. Frowning he turned to his guest. "Are you making trouble again, O'Clanis?"

Remembering himself in the fountain two years ago the young Lord shut his mouth with a plop. Only his father brawled on although he was not able to finish his accusations. Thomas junior smiled politely and shook his head. He raised a hand to stop the old man's tirade. "I'm glad you both had enjoyed this party, mylords, but of course I understand that you want to leave, now that you're soaked with champagne. Your driver will be informed immediately."

A nod towards the butler was all he had to give and the O'Clanis men understood they were kicked off the party. Meanwhile their audience had grown bigger. Almost all other guests were watching the rather loud conversation. Tommy turned around and grinned. "Alright! The show is over, my friends. Let's continue with the more enjoyable parts of the party!"

Chuckles and light laughter was heard. Lord O'Clanis and his son both were well known for their sometimes insolent behaviour.

"I'm sorry, Miss Jenny. Miss Lizzy, please have a break. You can relax in the hall, you'll be alone in there, we're all in the garden today. James will bring you a refreshment."

Miss Lizzy even curtsied after she got the silent okay from her boss. Quickly she vanished in the big house.

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In a corner of the not overly trimmed garden a grey-haired couple had watched them. He was wearing a dark jacket with a white shirt but no tie and had his hand pushed into the pocket of his jeans. In his other hand he had a glass of water. The woman closely next to him, in jeans and a fine blouse but with comfortable sneakers on, was drinking champagne though. She was playing with the little green emerald on a chain around her neck while she watched the young Lord grinning at his guests.

"She has some fine language." Barbara chuckled.

Tommy put his arm around her shoulders and softly kissed the top of her hair. "Reminds me of your sharp tongue..."

It earned him a nudge of her elbow into his ribcage. "Well, thank you. But I never would have been so bold towards your lot."

"You're my countess, dear. Don't forget that it's your lot too." He winked. "And I've experienced firsthand that you are equally capable to disguise your curses with such a fine irony."

"Oh, bollocks, Tommy." Grinning she shook her head.

"And she's defending her employee. It's exactly what you've done with your subordinates, Inspector." Pride resonated in his voice.

"That's been something different."

"Well, she can't stand injustice, like you and me."

"And like your son, obviously."

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They had watched how Tommy junior praised the unpleasant Lords O'Clanis away from his 25th birthday party.

"Somehow I remember something rather similar." Tommy murmured.

Barbara nodded. "Things have come full circle, hm?"

"Well, yes, so it seems."

"Have you seen Toms watching her all day?"

Her husband gave a laugh. "Maybe he was confused because she's walked around as if she was one of the hosts?"

"Tommy!" Barbara scolded him. "That's not true, and you know that. She's just doing her job and she's made sure that her employees do everything so this would be the perfect garden party."

A dreamy smile appeared in his face. "Like it had been on our wedding anniversary."

When Barbara looked up to him she was smiling too. There were a lot of sweet memories they shared. Her beloved Lord Asherton bent down and gave her a gentle kiss.

"I love you." he whispered.

"I love you too." she replied caressing his cheek. "It's been a wonderful party."

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"I guess your son remembers Miss Jenny from that occasion."

"He must have recognised her when he had planned all this." Barbara grinned. Her son still was talking with the owner of the catering service. "And I guess he's cast an eye at her."

"What?" Tommy sounded scandalised. "At the waitress?!"

Unseen by him Barbara rolled her eyes. "She _owns_ the catering company, remember?"

"Yes, well, but she's just-"

"Thomas Lynley!" Barbara turned to him with arms akimbo looking rather angry at him. "She's not _just_..." One of her hands made a vague gesture through the air. "...like _I_ wasn't _just_ your sergeant. Haven't you learned anything?"

"I'm sorry. You're right." A very juicy grin appeared in her husband's face. "And you've teached me a lot, my darling.

Barbara gave him a playful slap onto his chest. "Stop that!" she grumbled although she already had to grin.

* * *

For a while they were watching their son still talking to Jenny. The young people now both were sipping at champagne and walked slowly across the green grass on the other side of the garden a bit away from all other people.

"He's more into down to earth things in general." Barbara stated into the silence.

"Meaning?" Tommy ripped his eyes from Tommy junior.

"Well, all the time he spends in the countryside nowadays or in the stables when he's got some time to visit us here." She chewed on her cheeks before she went on. "To be honest, I don't think he'll finish his studies of the law. You should talk to him."

"Me? Why? And why wouldn't he finish?"

"Because he's just signed in at laws in Oxford because he thinks you'd want him to."

"He's never said that."

"Don't be so daft! Of course not. He wouldn't want to disappoint his father, _Detective Chief Inspector_. But I guess he better should put his energy into something more useful. He could replace Wilson."

"Do you mean Wilson Carrick the garden designer in Truro or Brad Wilson our manager?"

"Tommy!" Barbara rolled her eyes again. "I mean Brad Wilson. Toms could start studying business and- oh, gosh, look at our little Lord!"

* * *

Chuffed she grabbed Tommy's arm. Tommy junior on the other side of the garden had kissed the back of Jenny's hand before he went to talk again with other guests. It had left Jenny paralysed from some sort of delighted shock. Smiling lightly she looked at his back for quite a while. When Tommy junior suddenly looked back to her and gave her a lovely smile in return she blushed and downed the last drops of her champagne to hide her face. Then she abruptly turned and made herself busy with re-arranging the decoration on the buffet and giving some gruffly orders to another waiter.

Barbara chuckled. "Maybe one day the Asherton Company will be topped up with a catering service?" she suggested.

"You're still a romantic soul, Barbara." Tommy laughed while they started walking alongside the beds with perennial plants.

"I can't help it." She happily beamed. "I have the most romantic life a girl could dream of. Fancy a walk towards Bartholomew's Creek?" Barbara provocatively suggested taking his hand in hers.

"Now?!" His face slightly had blushed by the sheer mentioning of the place in the Asherton's private woods at the end of the path behind the manor where they had spent countless hours there in younger days when they knew nobody would disturb them. Actually it was no wonder that the third name of Tommy junior was such an old fashioned one.

"I think everybody is enjoying the party. Nothing against a short... umm... stroll... hm?" She knew exactly what he was thinking about when he cleared his throat. She was thinking the same.

"Well, I'll try my very best. You know, my old invalid knees..."

* * *

Barbara broke into loud boisterous laughter. Some guests turned their heads and grinning broadly she openly cheered to them with her glass of champagne when she met their eyes. Then she leaned into Tommy's side.

"I'm not exactly thinking of your knees, old man." she whispered and in an unobserved moment she stole a still closed bottle of champagne from one of the buckets at the end of a long table. "Come on, let's elope."

Chuckling Tommy followed his wife. "But we need something soft for your delicious bottom, baby." He had grabbed a blanket from one of the deck chairs standing unused in the sun and now gave her a gentle smack on her behind. The countess of Asherton almost was unable to suppress a very indecent squeal. His Lordship only smirked.

It was a warm summer afternoon. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, the water softly gurgled over rocks and pebbles. Since it was not theirs but their son's party the couple had all the time in the world. Nobody would really miss them.

Only for the fireworks they finally returned. Wrapped in the blanket they stood in one far away corner of the garden and quietly renewed their wedding vows.

* * *

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* * *

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End file.
